Unmasking the truth
by Alia Shade
Summary: After an argument with Aphrodite, three gods, temporary impalpable, sets out to discover the feelings of the ruler couple of the Underworld. Demeter finally has to see that her little daughter had grown up and fallen in love.
1. Chapter 1

Demeter watched her daughter as Kore was sitting next to the fountain. She refused to call her by the name that monster had given her.

Oh, her poor child. It has been many years since he took her. Since then, her daughter spent only half of the years with her. She hated him even more for it.

So, here she was, watching her little one. Kore had an air of excited happiness around her, not the usual melancholy. As the time she passed next to her mother, she was smiling more and more. Demeter hoped the cause of this was that she began to feel more at ease here, in the sunshine, after the gloomy darkness.

"How are you today?" she asked her daughter stepping up to her.

Kore's smile faltered a bit, then returned to her face, but she could sadly see that it was faked.

"I'm alright, mother."

"How fast these months have passed. We only have a day together."

"Yes… Only a day," a real smile reached her lips.

Demeter frowned. Apparently, that monster had been doing something to her daughter. Kore seemed unnaturally happy to return to that gruesome place. Was he brainwashing her? That could be the only reason to this. She decided to speak about the matter with Zeus. She wouldn't let that… that creature to get away with this.

"Mother?"

"It's nothing," she smiled at her daughter.

She stood up and briskly walked away, leaving a bewildered Kore in her wake.

* * *

"Demeter… I don't think that Hades is brainwashing your daughter," said Zeus tiredly. 

The goddess of the harvest came up to Olympos after an excited and smiling Persephone left for the Underworld.

"But he is! _Our_ daughter seemed to be _happy_ when she went down. He is bewitching her to fall in love with him!"

"He is the god of the dead. Not the love. He can't make anybody enamoured."

"Then ask that floozy! She has to be helping him!"

"Demeter… I don't think that…"

"Ask her!" seethed the goddess.

Zeus sighed. Of course, Hera had told him already that he won't be able to make Demeter see reason. So he sent Hermes for Aphrodite. He actually liked his silent brother. Never complaining, not causing problems, not whining constantly. So if Persephone was falling in love with him, good for them!

The door opened a little and the goddess of love slipped in with the messenger god. Demeter instantly set upon her.

"What have you done to her?"

"What? To who?" asked confusedly Aphrodite.

"Demeter thinks that you bewitched Persephone to love Hades," filled her in Hermes.

"But I didn't"

"You did!"

"Didn't!"

"Did!"

"DIDN'T!"

"DID!"

Zeus and Hermes looked at each other desperately. The two goddesses nearly fell together by the ears.

Then, Aphrodite, with closed eyes in rage, started glowing and sent out a wave of soft pink light. She suddenly stopped screaming.

"Where did everybody go? Oh, this must have been one of Hermes' newest pranks. Really… Making me angry, then vanishing everybody. And saying Hades made me bewitch Persephone… Can't they see the real love? I haven't even done anything to them. Oh, when I get my hands on that imp…" muttered the goddess while walking out.

The other three stood gaping after her.

"What has gotten into her?" asked Demeter.

"Wait a moment," said Hermes and hurried out of the room.

The other two just stood there silently. Not long after, the messenger god returned wonderingly.

"I think that nobody can see or hear us. I walked up to Ares and punched him, but he didn't even see me. He just muttered and looked around frowning."

"Oh, marvelous," growled Zeus. "It must have been Aphrodite. Should have been accidental."

"But how are we going to turn it back?" asked Demeter, her anger forgotten.

"Don't know."

"I dare say that I know the answer. Aphrodite wanted to make her point that she hasn't done anything to Persephone. I think that this way we can see it," said Hermes.

"Good point," replied Zeus. "We can see what they are doing in the Underworld and they won't sense us. Otherwise, there is no way Hades is showing his emotions around us."

"So we are going to prove my point," said a triumphant Demeter.

"Yes, we might…" left Zeus.

"So it is decided," said smugly the winged god with mischievous eyes. He had already seen the couple together.


	2. Chapter 2

"You won't be able to deny it. You'll see what that pervert bastard is doing to my little daughter!"

Zeus sighed while Hermes rolled his eyes... Since they decided to go down into the Underworld, Demeter continually ranted about Hades' evil doings.

They actually arrived at the gates and the three-headed dog, but from there on, they had to simply walk. The gods could not use their power to travel here. Even Hades used his chariot in his kingdom. This just added to Zeus' irritation.

"Can't you fly with your wings here?" the King of the gods snapped at Hermes.

"Oh, I could. But when I was here not long ago, I irritated the Rich One too much with my flying around. He said he will set on me Cerberus next time I flutter again. So I'd rather not risk it."

Zeus sighed, again. He knew he shouldn't have gotten up from his bed.

"Do you really know where are we?" asked Demeter.

They were in the palace and it was like they walked in a labyrinth. Hermes said he knew where are Persephone's chambers, where she would likely to be. But it looked like they were lost.

"Of course I know. We just go down here and turn left and we are there."

And true to his words, they arrived in front of a beautifully decorated door. They entered carefully. You never know what waits you in the Underworld.

Zeus knew, there was a reason why his brother was called the Rich One, but the room left him gaping. A large four-poster bed occupied the center of the large chamber. The stonewalls were decorated with carvings and velvet drapes. The desk, the chairs and the wardrobe were made of mahagony with silver ornament. The whole design was completed by waste amounts of gemstones. The chamber was illuminated by soft, yet warm light from the marble fireplace.

"Where is Kore?" asked Demeter. Even she was impressed by the room, but she would never admit it.

"Perhaps in the throne room with her _husband_," replied Zeus.

"Nah, they would be in the garden. Hades set up some kind of judge system for the incoming souls, so he could spend more time with Persephone when she is with him."

Demeter just snorted.

"So, off we go to the garden."

Demeter looked around critically. True, she had to admit, it was a beautiful garden, but it was dark. The shadows seemed to dominate it mostly, but only at first sight. Tall and thin trees prevailed the place. In the dark grass, little ebony, scarlet, blue and purple flowers had grown. Soft light illuminated the garden. There weren't any birds or animals, but there wasn't silence. You could hear the gentle breeze playing with the branches and the gurgling sound of the little stream.

They didn't have to wander around too much until they found the couple. But they were in a position, only Hermes expected.

Hades was lying on his back, while his wife was resting half on top of him. The god was playing with her hair, while Persephone was watching some flowers.

Zeus inwardly gaped at the scene before him, but mostly at his brother.. Not only he was not moody and grumpy, like usual, but he was relaxed and looked rather happy. Not that he minded. Oh, not at all. A happy Hades was so much better than a grumpy one. Well, he had to admit, even a grumpy one was better than Poseidon is his best days.

Demeter just stood with narrowing eyes.

"I simply love the flowers here," declared Persephone. "Not those overly bright and nearly disgusting ones the nymphs adore so much. I always hated them. Besides, I realized I can make black roses up in mother's clearing. I haven't tried it, but imagine my mother's shock when she would see some black flowers in the middle of the colorful meadow."

Hades looked concerned at his wife and pulled her closer to comfort her. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes.

"It is like I'm caged there. Before, mother let me wander off even on my own, but now, she is watching my every step like a hawk," said the goddess sadly. "I hoped that she would get used to our marriage, but no, she is becoming more and more overprotective. Sometimes I feel like I just want to scream and run away."

At this, Demeter frowned. Did her daughter really feel like this? She wanted to go to her child and take her back home and explain her everything, forgetting she can not be sensed, when Hades started speaking.

"She just wants the best for you. She thinks that you are unhappy here and blames herself. So she now does her best to protect you. By the gods, if I wasn't sure nothing can harm you here, I would lock you up in our room and make Cerberus guard the door. I love you too much to lose you. And your mother feels the same. Well… perhaps not the same, but protectiveness certainly. I don't think half the time she spends with you she wants to carry you to bed and do things with you no maiden should know," he joked.

"Hey!" Persephone smacked his arm while giggling. At this, he started to tickle her, which caused them to rolling around on the ground. That soon ended in a sweet kiss and they returned to their previous position.

"So, what was that about the bed and maiden?" the goddess asked suggestively.

Hades just smirked and kissed her passionately. Then he promptly lifted her up and headed to their room.


	3. Chapter 3

Demeter watched her daughter as she sat by a small fountain in a secluded area in her domain. Kore… No, Persephone was starting ahead and daydreaming. The nature goddess really didn't want to know what about.

After the little fiasco with Aphrodite's unintentional "magic", she had been doing some serious thinking. As the pair had left the garden, the spell wore off and Hermes led them out of there (only after being lost again and having to resort to ask Thanatos for directions, which resulted in Zeus snickering all the way up and an irate messenger). The two gods hurried off in different directions as soon as they reached Olympos and Demeter left for her meadow.

It was now nearly a year after, K… Persephone's last day on the surface. And she had come to a decision. She had already spoke with Zeus about it, and getting over his shock, he had agreed to it. All that remained was a talk with her daughter.

"Persephone…"

Her daughter looked up at her in shock.

"Mother…" Demeter waved her off and sat beside her.

"Do you love him?"

Persephone looked at her searchingly, then gave her answer.

"Yes."

"And does he love you?"

At this, a tender smile appeared on her daughter's face.

"Yes, in his own, unique way, yes. It is not something he expresses. You have to see the little things. Like he has about twenty-four ways of his left eye's twitching. One of them means he is amused, other one means he is only a little from throwing you in Tartaros. But let me give you an example. When I was down the first times, I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to go with him to the judging and I didn't feel like exploring on my own. He had seen it and asked me what I would like to do. I told him I wanted to walk in a garden. My very own garden, not some place for the souls. And that I miss the flowers. He looked so sad when he told me he can't give me that. Next morning when I woke up, I found a rose made of crystal nest to my bed. At a closer look, I discovered it was carefully crafted from a single large ruby. It was magnificent. And after that day, every morning I woke up, there was a different, but wonderful flower next to me."

"So he wanted to buy your love for him" Demeter scoffed forgetting for a minute herself. But Persephone wasn't angry.

"Mother, let me finish it… So, some years after it, I was slowly starting to accept my place next to him. One day, walking along with Cerberus, I looked over the vast fields at my feet. It was so empty for me. I closed my eyes and pretended that everything was covered with soft flowers. And when I opened my eyes, they still looked like my imagined fields. I was so shocked and sensing it, Hades was by my side a moment later. He took in the sight before him and raising his eyebrow he just told that I seem to not only bring life and joy to his heart but to his kingdom as well. I asked him that as now the flower problem solved itself, can I still have my garden. He only looked at me amused and then said that I show him where I want it and he will give it to me. I asked him that what if I was to decide on Tartaros."

At this, Demeter paled. She knew very well Hades' temper about his kingdom. Not even Zeus stood a chance against him. And then the go nod lightening only asked for some people to be moved out of Tartaros. The dark god never liked when people tried to change his kingdom.

"And what did he say? Did he hurt you? Did he close you up and…" Persephone burst out of laughing at this.

"He would never hurt me, mother. He only said that it would require enormous amount of paperwork, long-long overtime of working and a rather irritating talk with Zeus. I, of course asked him if he was joking. He only smiled that little, sad smile of his and told me that he would do everything for me and even then I would deserve more. I think that was when I finally fall in love with him totally." Persephone looked over at her mother. "He is not like any other. It is his way of showing me his love. He does not go on and declare it in front of everyone. It is in little things. Little things he does only for me or shows only for me. And I love him all the more for it."

Demeter sighed. Perhaps it was truly for the best. A little, tentative smile graced her lips. She watched her daughter and finally she was able to see the woman in front of her, not her little baby girl.

"I spoke with your father about the arrangements made after your wedding. I decided it was time for change it. From now on, you don't have to come back to the surface if you don't want to. I see you are happier at your husband's side." At this, she had gotten her arms full of an enthusiastic Persephone.

"Thank you, thank you, mother… But what about my duties as the goddess of spring?"

Demeter had the decency to look sheepish.

"Well, you see… You never were the goddess of spring. I just said you were, so you wouldn't be taken away from me. You are truly and only the Queen of the Underworld. I just changed the seasons according your arrival and departure."

Persephone just laughed and hugged her mother.

"Don't worry, I will come up and visit you often. Now, how about we spend this last day together?"

* * *

Demeter let her daughter go with heavy heart, but she had to admit, the joy of her daughter assured her of her decision.

"Now, that wasn't that hard, was it?"

The nature goddess turned around to see a smiling Aphrodite leaning against a tree nearby. She scowled..

"What are you doing here?"

The goddess of love became serious.

"I had come to assure you. She will be happy. More so then before. You made the right choice."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Of course I am." Said Aphrodite mock offended. "I am the goddess of love. Persephone is obliviously in love. Well, for Hades, you peel of that thick layer of grumpiness and you find a heart that beats solely for your daughter. So, all in all, I think you made the right choice."

Demeter smiled.

"Yes, I think too…"


End file.
